I got skunked today.
I launched from the landing before the sun came up this morning. Before leaving the house I decided I would stick to artificials all day. I headed to a spot where I had some high-tide success not to long ago. I was looking for a top water bite. I threw a chartreuse-top, gold-bodied, orange-faced spook.
After about thirty minutes of drifting near the bank, I found a few reds that wanted to play. The first one came up and hit my spook twice before the hooks stuck it. It took off to my left and the hooks came out. Maybe ten minutes later another BIG red came up and crashed it five times in a row before getting ahold of a hook. I fought it for a minute, and it came off too.
This was the first time I’ve actually gotten a red to hit a top water lure for me. I’ve caught every kind of freshwater fish I can think of on top water, and I’ve caught a few trout as well. The sound of those fish trying to suck down a lure and seeing their backs come up out of the water was really exciting. I will be back out there soon for some more of that action.
Once the sun got too high I headed over to a creek and trolled around during low tide. I tossed fake crabs where I saw fiddlers, paddlers where I saw mullet, a gold spoon, and a couple different trick worms. Nothing wanted to eat any of it. I ran several lures right past the faces of some reds, but they just kept cruising.
When the water got up high enough to get back to the landing safely, I headed in and headed home empty handed except for a couple nice pictures.




Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
Cool pics. It’s great seeing the reds rise up and belly flop the plug isn’t it?
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com | www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
i too tried the cooper today since fishing on my bday is a must and with a bit better luck but not near the excitement of redfish hitting topwaters. started with absolutely nothing and eventually got 4 keeper crab for bonnethead bait later on and after tossing lures, poppin corks, finger mullet, … i decided time for frozen shrimp on the bottom since nothing else was working. didnt take long and the rod bounced over a bit, missed a couple, then up came 3 small black drum after a while. not long later i caught a massive hand sized cooper river catfish. bite slows a bit so i rig the other rod up on the bottom and this one goes over and feels nice and heavy. i was hoping for a black drum i could actually keep…WRONG!!! up comes a nice slimy eel. last couple minutes while im taking in my crab nets the rod goes over once more. no birthday junk fish jamboree is complete without a toadfish so one of em was kind enough to join the party. nothing to bring home for supper but at least fun to go out.




Eels can make for decent shark bait.
Moral judgment under girds the entire structure of laws and is necessary for the rational structure of any significant statute. The idea that our laws can stand independent of moral foundation is senseless.----- Albert Mohler.
It WAS gold.


Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
Nice pics. Really nice boat.
19’ Seapro 150 Yamaha
12’ Hydrocraft 25 Evinrude
If that’s all I have to worry about…there’s nothing to worry about.
matt: exactly what i had in mind!
hoofrded: yup id say that lure def got smacked a few times.